Ladies....I need some advice regarding chronic abdominal pain

[LJC1861]

I have been hurting for almost a year. I have a history of ovarian cysts and that is the first place I started when this pain started. My GYN put me on the birth control patch and while it regulated my period and took away some of the pain, it is still there.....right side from belly button to hip, and down. I actually had surgery scheduled to remove the cyst that they found initially, and then when she did an ultra sound one week before the surgery she said the cyst was gone. Fine, then why do I still hurt?

I went to my primary care physician who referred me to a gastro- enterologist who recommended a colonoscopy. It came back clear. Fine, but why do I still hurt? Then it was on to a CT scan. It showed a few small fibroids but nothing else. Great news, but I still hurt!

I am really at a loss as to what to do next. I have tried mind over matter saying that this must all be in my head, but frankly there are times when it just plain hurts. It hurts almost all the time, and not necessarily more at certain times of the month.

Can anyone relate and if so what did you do? I am at my wits end here and am almost ready to go back to the GYN and tell her to open me up and just look! Drastic, but I am not sure what to do next.

Thanks for taking the time to read this....it helps just talking about it.

Linda

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Is it there all the time or are there times when it is worse?

 

[phorsenuf]

Could it be adhesions? I know when I pull one it hurts for a long time. Have you had any surgery anywhere in that area?

 

[ahutton]

I also have pain in that region. I do know I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, and that the normal cysts every women develops with her monthly cycle on that normally go away after her cycle don't go away for me. They hang around for 2-3 more months and get about the size of a golf ball, then sharp pain that stops you in your tracks and they disappear. I elected about 10 years ago to go ahead with a laser laparoscopy surgery. While there they looked to make sure I didn't have any endometriosis, or scars/lesions that could be causing pain. I was lucky and did not, so with taking regular prescriptions my "female pain" is well managed. I still have some, but it is not disabling and regular Advil takes care of it.

I don't know how long you have been seeing your OB/GYN, but I have found a huge difference between male and female doctors. In my case the male doctors recommended anti-depressants and pain killers (they actually gave me Vicodin) so that what was "all in my head" wouldn't be of concern, and what was I could drug away. I didn't like that plan and went to a new doctor. She and I discussed my history, what I've tried, and decided to do the scope. There are many misconceptions out there about different illness/pain and the causes. If you are being told you are fine but don't feel like you are don't hesitate to get another opinion.

Best wishes.

 

[C.Ann]

Have you ever been tested for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? How about Endometriosis? Irritable Bowel Syndrome? All of them can cause chronic - and severe - pain..

I guess I would just keep searching for that one doctor that will finally make the correct diagnosis..

Hope you feel better soon!
C.Ann

 

[LJC1861]

Thanks for all the advice....

It does hurt all the time and is not that much worse during my period. As for endometriosis, my GYN has mentioned it, but also said that the medicine in the patch should alleviate many of the symptoms. Irritable bowel syndrome was mentioned by the gastro-enterologist and he gave me Donatol but it didn't seem to do much. The pain is fairly constant and really not in keeping with what I have heard about IBS.

I have been seeing this GYN for a year now and the office is a very popular on here in NYC. It is a practice of all women GYN's and I have received excellent care over the years. My GYN is new because the one I had been seeing left NYC. I am due for my annual physical next month, so hopefully we can explore more options. She seemed jsut as baffled about the pain continuing after the ovarian cyst disappeared as I was. It was at her recommendation that I had all the other tests done. Several years ago I had a cyst on the left side removed via laparoscopic surgery, so I suppose adhesions could be a part of this, but I guess we will just have to do some more checking. I have also heard that in severe cases of endometriosis there is a treatment where they go in surgically and cauterize it all out. All I know is that I want it to go away.

I'll keep on seeing doctors until it does.

Linda

 

[FreshTressa]

No advice, all I have to say is OUCH, and I sure hope you find something soon that helps!

 

[cati]

Ok, this is going to sound strange, but do you still have your appendix???

Mine would flare up once a month and did this for 7 years before they finally figured out what it was.

I would run a low grade temp, my white count NEVER went up. When they took my appendix out the surgeon said if he had not taken it out when he did I would have probably died with it within a year because it had flared up so many times it had literally wrapped itself around my colon and thus causing even more pain. I even had one doctor tell me the pain was all in my head. Contrary to what some doctors think, your appendix can flare up - my sister-in-law's did the same thing. After they took my appendix out I never had anymore pain.

Sure hope they figure out what it is soon. Prayers and pixie dust to you bunches.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I read this, Linda, noticing you said you were having pain. I have nothing to add certainly, in the way of advice, but do wish you relief soon, my prayers and good wishes are with you. Can't have that lovely voice of yours impinged with pain.

Dan

 

[Feralpeg]

I sympathize. For almost 5 years, I suffered. About a week out of each month, I'd be pain free. The rest of the time, I lived on Ibuprofen. I saw 4 doctors and had numerous tests. I was told that some women just experience pain. I finally found a doctor who actually listened to me. She asked me why I wanted to live that way. It turned out that I had adenomiosis. It is a condition where the walls of the uterus harden. I also had fibroids. Two years ago I had a hysterectomy. It was the best thing I ever did. I am 51, so it wasn't that difficult a decision. I have no idea what the underlying cause is for your pain, but don't stop persuing help. If you don't get a satisfactory answer from one doctor, see another and another and another until you get an answer. Best of luck to you!

 

[LJC1861]

I DO still have it and one of the things my Primary Care Physician mentioned was chronic appendicitis. Now to me, that doesn't sound good, but he said that it can be non life threatening. If that is what it is...I want the darn thing out. I was hoping that the CT scan would have showed that it was inflamed, but it did not. ARRGHH!!!!!

I am going back to both Dr's right after Christmas and we are going to get to the bottom of this.

Linda

P.S. Thanks to all of you who have answered this post. I KNEW that there would be support and information here!

 

[Disfan1]

Have you ever been in a car accident? I had chronic abdominal pain a few years ago, and to make a long story short, it turned out to be scar tissue that developed because the seat belt damaged the soft tissue in that area. I was beginning to think I was crazy but my GYN did a laproscopy (SP?) to check for cysts and "other structures" I have been pain free ever since. Keep after your doctors to find a solution- the answer is out there somewhere!

 

[Dodie]

Due to multiple "female" surgeries over the past 5 years, I have adhesions (scar tissue). Sometimes this pain is almost unbearable. All of the CT scans, the x-rays, the colonscopies, everything come back normal.

The problem with adhesions is, they can go in and remove them, but they are SCAR TISSUE. If you are prone to developing them, they will most likely come back at the site of the new surgery.

Essentially, you live with it until it gets so bad you can't stand it, or until the adhesions interfere with something else.

Since you've had surgery "down there," I'd think that this might be what's going on...

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

I feel your pain!!! So far I have been told the the lining of my uteris is thicker than normal so they gave me some type of birth control pills and that seemed to work for about a month and now the pain is back. I go back to the Dr's in 2 weeks and hope they can figure this out!!

Prayers and hugs to you, I know how it is to live in pain almost everyday!!

 

[SeaSpray]

Sorry to hear about your chronic pain I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say that I think you are correct as far as IBS is concerned. I have IBS and I have absolutely NO pain, except when it's flairing up, and even then, it's very obvious why and where the pain is coming from. Of course, I want to add that this is my OWN experience with IBS, but everything I've read about it is consistent with these symptoms, too.

Hang in there, and I hope you can get some answers and relief soon!

 

[goodstarr]

Linda, I also had pcos and had right sided pain. I was followed every 3-4 months with ultra-sounds which showed the small ovarian cysts. I was seeing a reproductive endocrinoligist and always complained of pain. Each U/S showed the same thing. THEN I changed ultrasound places (due to insurance) and had another routine U/S which showed a HUGE tumor growing outside of my ovary (this was only 3 months after my previous normal routine U/S at the other place). Needles to say, I had surgery. They found out on the OR table that it was malignant and I had a complete hysterectomy. Thank God He made me go to a different U/S site so that this could be found. Thank God it hadn't spread and here I am 2 years later still working the night shift and on the Disboards during my break. Now all I have are pains from adhesions. I'll take it. I later found out through my surgeon that my old U/S place had a history of their films not being accurate somehow.